Rather lengthy video but interesting. Go Pro on the horse with commentary by mounted officer.

In celebrating the graduation of 14 new Mounted Unit officers, the NOPD on Friday (Oct. 26) released video that offers a new perspective on policing the French Quarter: an NOPD chase seen through the ears of JJ the police horse.

The footage, taken from a GoPro affixed to NOPD Mounted Unit Officer Sgt. Daniel Scanlan, takes viewers down a busy Bourbon Street and other familiar landmarks but in an unfamiliar way.

The pursuit occurred about 10 p.m. Saturday. In the video, Scanlan can be heard warning crowds on Bourbon to get out of JJ’s way as they trot past tourists, neon signs and beer-hawkers in pursuit of a man suspected of illegally carrying a gun.

The chase later turns onto St. Peter Street, passing a Lucky Dog cart and a voodoo shop, and then onto Royal Street, before Scanlan and other officers capture 30-year-old Terrell Spears in the 600 block of Royal.

Spears was booked with possession of a firearm by a felon and flight from an officer, the NOPD said.

Scanlan can be heard praising the horse, as JJ walks over to the construction site along Royal Street where officers are making the arrest.

The video was provided by the New Orleans Police and Justice Foundation, which was using the GoPro to film a promotional video when Scanlan was dispatched to a call.

The pursuit of a “suspicious person” begins off Bourbon Street and intensifies as the horse turns onto the crowded thoroughfare. Around the 60-second mark, a state trooper appears to reach for the red-shirted suspect, only to have him dash away, darting into the drink-toting masses.

“Look out!” Scanlan shouts after turning onto St. Peter Street, prompting people lined up outside of Preservation Hall to scramble onto the sidewalk.

The NOPD released footage of the horseback police pursuit as the department held its first public Mounted Unit graduation ceremony Friday afternoon in Jackson Square.



The 14 newly trained Mounted Unit officers underwent weeks of grueling training to become part of one of the oldest mounted programs in the country, said NOPD Director of Communications Andy Cunningham.

The new riders are part of the NOPD’s part-time program, which helps the department’s Mounted Unit during busier times for the city, such as weekends and special events like Mardi Gras.

The 14 graduates mostly includes officers with the NOPD but also four with Louisiana State Police, marking a first for that agency.

NOPD 8th District Commander Nick Gernon, whose district encompasses the French Quarter, and New Orleans City Councilmembers Kristin Palmer and Helena Moreno also participated in the ceremony.

Marking another likely first, Moreno sat horseback at the ceremony. In a news release, Cunningham noted that Moreno is “a well-trained and accomplished equestrian.”

LINK: https://www.nola.com/crime/201...d-unit-officers.html

The rider sounds pretty tired at one point. I can't imagine how beat the officer on foot is feeling after running all that distance.

Nice job NOPD!

IMO, a K9 would catch the suspect faster than mounted horse.

K9 love to chase a running perp.

quote:

Originally posted by GWbiker:
IMO, a K9 would catch the suspect faster than mounted horse.

K9 love to chase a running perp.

Yes. The horse *might* have an advantage in a crowd control situation, then again, those teeth are sharp, “Who wants to get bit first?”

Interesting video. I have two comments:

1) He needs lights and siren for that horse; yelling “look out! look out!” has to get old.

2) For most of the video the rider referred to the horse as “girl”, ie “come on girl”. But near the end he says “good boy.”

 
When my wife was horse mounted, at the time they used TBs, have since switched to draft crosses (better for crowd control. Anyway, her TB was kind of skittish and in confrontations with anything would roll his eyes back so you only saw the whites. Made him look like a crazy killer horse. She encountered some youths in the park one day, smoking blunts under a bridge. She chased, saw one of them stuff a bag down the front of his pants, and when she caught up, she told them her horse was specially trained to sniff pot, and when he found it he removed it with his teeth. The kid produced the bag quickly.

quote:

Originally posted by GWbiker:
IMO, a K9 would catch the suspect faster than mounted horse.

K9 love to chase a running perp.

And a bullet is faster still, but neither a dog not a bullet are appropriate to deploy in that circumstance. The dog because of the crowd.

That horse needs a siren, cop going 'horse' yelling "get out of the way!!!"

quote:

2) For most of the video the rider referred to the horse as “girl”, ie “come on girl”. But near the end he says “good boy.

Hey its New Orleans in the French Quarter.

Seemed the officer was just about worthless on the horse. Other than having a higher vantage point in the crowd.

When the foot officer went hands on the officer remained on horseback. That does a lot of good when you partner is on the ground with suspect.

Mounted patrol is literally a dog and pony show.

If I recall, there was a photo going around of an NOPD mounted officer on his horse on Bourbon St during Mardi Gras.
The horse was leaning on a dude, pressing him against a building wall.
Both the horse and the cop looked bored.

quote:

Originally posted by honestlou:
Interesting video. I have two comments:

1) He needs lights and siren for that horse; yelling “look out! look out!” has to get old.

2) For most of the video the rider referred to the horse as “girl”, ie “come on girl”. But near the end he says “good boy.”

I noticed that too. I was thinking it might have been a pool horse not his normal horse.

And like ZSMICHAEL said it's the quarter. Hard to tell sometimes there.

Having grown up on a horse farm & working on a cutting horse/cattle ranch, I don't see why they don't equip & train the horses & officers to use a lasso to stop the person. Would stop the bad guy in a less, life threatening way. My boss's wife was the best roper I ever saw, on horseback or on the ground. If we decided to take a break & piddle around someone would usually make some odd roping bet with her & I never saw her lose.